1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cooking device which has a heat source for a microwave, an electric heater and the like to cook an object to be heated in a heating chamber.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, the cooking devices provided with the microwave and the electric heater as the heat source have become widespread. Of these cooking devices, the mainstream for domestic use is one which detects the condition of an object to be heated by a sensor and optimally heats automatically. On the other hand, it is required for a cooking device for professional use to be easily operated by selecting from recipes (combinations of the heating time and heating power corresponding to the kind and amount of the object to be heated) set in advance. Further, there is also a request on which cooking devices can be used in a state of placing one on top of another one in order to use effectively within a limited installation space. In any of these applications, usability of the cooking device greatly depends on the arrangement of operation sections and operation switches; thus, the arrangements thereof are devised variously.
As for the operation section of the cooking device, a general one is configured such that a plurality of operation switches are concentrated in one place in the front face of a cooking device body. Some cooking devices have two operation sections arranged apart from each other depending on the functions assigned to the operation switches or the frequency of use of the operation switches. Further, some devices have two operation sections which are arranged in different places of the cooking device body and have the operation switches assigned with the functions a part of which are overlapped.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 03-271623 discloses the heating cooking device in which the operation section is arranged at the front face of the cooking device body, and the operation section is provided with the operation switch of high (or low) frequency of use such that the operation section is exposed (or hidden) when the door opens (or closes). In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-201470 discloses a technique with which the operation section provided with the operation switch of high (or low) frequency of use is arranged at a portion higher or lower than the display section provided on the front face of the cooking device body. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-122961 discloses a technique with which a first operation section provided with the operation switch for accepting the start of automatic cooking is arranged at the front face of the cooking device body, and a second operation section provided with the operation switch for accepting the start and the end of heating is arranged at the top face of the cooking device body.